Philanthropy plays a big role in Greek life, and the CU Miss Greek 2010 event is no exception.
“The purpose [of the event] is representing the Greek community and the values it stands for,” said Annie Lawson, a 21-year-old junior economics and political science major and winner of CU Miss Greek 2010. “There are three main things that make up the Greek community: one, philanthropy, two, scholarship and three, community.”
Lawson said she hadn’t expected to take the crown.
“I’m just really excited and proud to represent Alpha Delta Chi and the Greek community as a whole,” Lawson said. “All the girls did an amazing job in raising money and everyone’s talent and question was just so fun and great, so I just feel like it could have been anyone’s, you know?”
Contestants from 11 different CU sororities competed for the title of Miss Greek 2010 in the Coors Events Center Wednesday night from 7:30 p.m. to 10 p.m.
In addition to fundraising for two Denver organizations, Clinica Campesina Family Health Services and the Tennyson Center for Children, participants were judged on trivia questions, talents, a question and answer session and school spirit.
According to the CU Miss Greek Web site, the brothers of the Sigma Pi Fraternity organized the annual event.
“The first pageant was held in the spring of 2006 with the idea that such an event could unify the Greek System by demonstrating to the community it’s amazing philanthropic spirit and showcasing women who exemplify core values of each sorority,” according to the Web site.
Roman Payan, a 21-year-old junior advertising major and the Sigma Pi philanthropy chair, said Clinica Campesina Family Services takes a majority of the money raised and 10 percent is given to the Tennyson Center for Children.
“What we’re doing is getting everybody supporting a couple of great organizations that do good for our community,” Payan said.
Participating sororities included Alpha Chi Omega, Alpha Delta Chi, Alpha Phi, Chi Omega, Delta Delta Delta, Delta Gamma, Gamma Phi Beta, Kappa Alpha Theta, Kappa Kappa Gamma, Pi Beta Phi and Sigma Rho Lambda.
Among the judges were Marc Stine, the Greek advocate at CU-Boulder and Mike Bohn, CU athletic director.
Payan said a large portion of the judging was based on the money raised on the contestant’s behalf.
“Basically, the girls are [also] judged on their cleverness, their ability to show school spirit, enthusiasm and their commitment to giving back to the community,” Payan said.
Following an introduction of the contestants and brief presentations from Clinica and Tennyson, participants began the school spirit competition and trivia questions.
Talents included a gymnastics performance, dancing, rapping, guitar playing and singing. After a fundraising presentation from one of the original founders of Miss Greek, contestants were asked why they should be the next Miss Greek.
Elisa Levinson, a 20-year-old junior Asian studies major and member of Gamma Phi Beta said the event is more than just the title.
“Miss Greek brings together each house because every house tries to work together to raise money and to help their contestants raise the most money,” Levinson said. “It’s a really great way to bring us together. We’re all together in good competitive fun spending three hours together to watch the other houses and cheer for the other houses just as much as ourselves.”
Following a live performance from Black Prez, the winners of Miss Greek were announced.
The second runner up was Erika Anderson, a junior integrative physiology major from Gamma Phi Beta, and second place was Erika Gleason, a senior marketing major from Kappa Alpha Theta.
Payan said the final total for the evening was $58,732. According to the CU Miss Greek Web site the pageant, “stands as the most successful philanthropy in university history.”
Gautam Bhojwani, a 21-year-old sophomore psychology major and a member of the Acacia Fraternity, said he attended to support his Greek brothers and sisters.
“We’re just here to support each other, and being there for each other at events like this really show what the entire Greek system working together can do for different organizations,” Bhojwani said. “It was clear all the girls put in a lot of effort to this event and it turned out spectacular.”
Contact CU Independent Staff Writer Sheila V Kumar at Sheila.kumar@colorado.edu.
